Morris Kight: Humanist, Liberationist, Fantabulist: A Story of Gay Rights and Gay Wrongs
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New York and San Francisco gay liberation activists' work is well documented but allow us to introduce Los Angeles' preeminent gay rights pioneer--say hello to...
New York and San Francisco gay liberation activists' work is well documented but allow us to introduce Los Angeles' preeminent gay rights pioneer--say hello to Morris Kight.
His activist work began in the 1930s as a teenager. As the only male living in his mother's Texas brothel, he secretly helped women working there get vital healthcare. During the 1950s, he was part of an underground network of gay 'safe houses' that provided bail, health care, and legal advice at a time when the United States had laws criminalizing same-sex relationships. He turned his unique charisma and organizing skills to the 1960s anti-war movement and then working the rest of his life in the now public fight for "Gay Liberation." He fostered vital relationships with fellow activists, politicians, socialites, and gangsters. His style of organizing and activism showed the power of the "influencer" decades before social media brought millions together with a meme.
He founded groups that lead seminal protests that resulted in: The American Psychiatric Association removing homosexuality as a disease from its diagnostic manual, protecting civil rights for gay citizens in California, and reducing police violence against the gay community. And for every good thing Kight did, he took credit for more. He was a man who, with his many flaws, managed to alienate as many people as he brought together. His story brings to life his work as remembered by those who loved and loathed him.
Book cover photo credit: Henning von Berg
Author: Mary Ann Cherry
Publisher: Process
Published: 05/26/2020
Pages: 424
Binding Type: Paperback
Weight: 1.50lbs
Size: 8.90h x 6.00w x 1.10d
ISBN: 9781934170809
About the Author
Cherry, Mary Ann: - Mary Ann Cherry has a diverse background in network and syndicated television, writing for cable television, and has produced independent documentaries. She has also worked with non-profit organizations, including writing a resource guide for people living with AIDS/HIV which was later used as a prototype for a statewide proposal.
His activist work began in the 1930s as a teenager. As the only male living in his mother's Texas brothel, he secretly helped women working there get vital healthcare. During the 1950s, he was part of an underground network of gay 'safe houses' that provided bail, health care, and legal advice at a time when the United States had laws criminalizing same-sex relationships. He turned his unique charisma and organizing skills to the 1960s anti-war movement and then working the rest of his life in the now public fight for "Gay Liberation." He fostered vital relationships with fellow activists, politicians, socialites, and gangsters. His style of organizing and activism showed the power of the "influencer" decades before social media brought millions together with a meme.
He founded groups that lead seminal protests that resulted in: The American Psychiatric Association removing homosexuality as a disease from its diagnostic manual, protecting civil rights for gay citizens in California, and reducing police violence against the gay community. And for every good thing Kight did, he took credit for more. He was a man who, with his many flaws, managed to alienate as many people as he brought together. His story brings to life his work as remembered by those who loved and loathed him.
Book cover photo credit: Henning von Berg
Author: Mary Ann Cherry
Publisher: Process
Published: 05/26/2020
Pages: 424
Binding Type: Paperback
Weight: 1.50lbs
Size: 8.90h x 6.00w x 1.10d
ISBN: 9781934170809
About the Author
Cherry, Mary Ann: - Mary Ann Cherry has a diverse background in network and syndicated television, writing for cable television, and has produced independent documentaries. She has also worked with non-profit organizations, including writing a resource guide for people living with AIDS/HIV which was later used as a prototype for a statewide proposal.